Greece: Travel Guide: Dodecanese Islands: Kastelorizo

Greece: Dodecanese islands: Kastelorizo

Kastelorizo, (Greek: Μεγίστη/Megisti), is a small Greek island and municipality located in the southeastern Mediterranean. has gone by several different names in its history, including Italian: Castellorizo, Castelrosso, and Turkish: Meis. The meaning of its current official name Megisti (Μεγίστη) is "Biggest" or "Greatest", but at only 11.987 km2 (5 sq mi) in area, it is the smallest of the Dodecanese. The name, however, refers to the fact that it is the largest of the small archipelago

Kastelorizo is (with the exception of the nearby islet of Stroggýli) the easternmost Greek island and is situated in the Eastern Mediterranean. It lies about 2 miles (3 km) from the Anatolian coastal town of Kaş, more or less half-way between Rhodes and Antalya. It is six kilometres long and three kilometres wide, with a surface of 9.2 km². It has a triangular shape, and is oriented from NE to SW. The island features three capes: Agios Stefanos (north), Nifti (east) and Pounenti (south west); between the first two there is a wide and accommodating bay, the island's main harbour, where one finds the only town on the island. Cape Agios Stefanos, the nearest to Anatolia, is 2250m south of the modern Turkish town of Kaş (Greek: Andífli, the Ancient Greek City of Antiphéllos). Cape Nifti lies some greater distance from the Anatolian coast. The island is mountainous, with high and steep coastlines, which become more difficult to access moving west. The soil is composed of limestone, and produces only small amounts of olives, grapes and beans. On the island there is no source of drinking water. The Municipality of Megísti includes the populated offshore islands of Ro (pop. 15) and Stroggýli (9) as well as several uninhabited islets. It has a total land area of 11.987